With the Spring fashion season fast approaching, well at least in stores, it’s definitely not warm enough where I live to be wearing or even thinking about Spring Clothing. This is the time to shop for all of those items you were wanting to buy in the Fall/Winter season. If you’re looking to purchase some items, now, in my opinion is the best time to shop out of the whole year. A lot of stores have their items on clearance and some even have clothing that have been marked down twice. You can get some really great deals, especially because stores want to get rid of their old stock.

There are certain items that I believe that you should always save on and others that you should splurge on. When I say splurge, this doesn't mean that you can't save some money on these more pricey items or get a discount. This is a great time to splurge on some of those drool worthy items that you’ve been longing for because many of them are on sale!

Splurge on These

1. Shoes/Boots I believe it’s really important to spend money on a good pair of shoes or boots. You wear them everyday and for most of us, we’re constantly on our feet and we want them to be comfortable and to last for more than one season. I have no issues splurging on shoes because I’ve always had feet ‘issues’. Being an athlete my whole life has done a number on my tiny little feet and comfort and sustainability are two things I look for when I am purchasing a new pair. The problem with buying cheap shoes is that you can tell when you’re wearing them that the quality isn’t great and that they will maybe last one season. I don't care about the cheaper price tag, my feet always pay for it. I know a lot of people don’t want to reach for their wallets to spend money on pricier shoes or boots, but keep in mind that these items should last you at least 4 seasons or more (depending on how well you take care of them).

2. Purses Just like shoes, purses are items that I think you should invest in. As women we use our handbags everyday and if you’re a momma like me, it can a lot of times pose as a diaper bag as well. I have some friends who think its silly to splurge on handbags, I don’t agree because for all of the ‘cheap’ purses that you buy, you could of spent money on a more expensive and better quality one. Invest in a couple of more expensive purses and you're good to go!

3. Coat When I say coats, I mean winter coats and jackets. In Canada, winters, depending on the year can last 6-7 months. Which means that you should want to splurge on a winter coat. We have been fortunate that this year (so far) has been a warm winter. If you’re going to splurge on a winter coat, I recommend spending the money on a down filled coat, one that covers your bum and one that has a good sized hood. I have winter coats that are pea coats, but they just don’t keep you warm. Now is the perfect time to buy a winter coat, because a lot of them are on sale!

4. Makeup Although I don’t wear a ton of makeup, I would consider myself a makeup snob. I know so many people who suggest drug store alternatives to the more expensive and brand name products. I am willing to try anything once, but I’ve found that any of the drugstore products that I have tried, with the exemption of mascara haven’t met my expectations. Unfortunately, this is definitely a product that does not go on sale. My favorite makeup is MAC, I do also like NARS, Laura Mercier, Dior and Hourglass. Even though all of these brands are on the more expensive side, they do last for a long time and the quality is amazing.

Save On These

​1. BasicsBasics are something that you can save on, but you can also find good quality products on a friendly budget. I buy a lot of my basics from Aritzia, their leggings and t-shirts are great quality and last for at least one season. I never recommend spending a lot on basic tops and leggings because they’re something that we constantly wear and wash. Over washing and wearing can do a number on our clothes so that’s why you should spend limited amounts of money on basics.

2. Trends Trends are something that come and go. More than once my mom has said to me, “that was trendy when I was your age”. I really wish that she had saved some of these trendy items so I didn’t have to spend any money on them. Which brings me to my point, don’t spend a lot of money on trendy pieces…they’re just a trend. Head to the clearance racks to look for trendy pieces like the fringe dresses below!

3. Accessories (Hats, Scarves) I have never been a big believer of spending a lot of money on accessories, especially because like trends they go in and out of style. A place that has so many great accessories for a cheap is H & M. They always have pieces that are on trend but more importantly affordable.

4. Bathing SuitsWe don’t spend that much time wearing bathing suits since winter takes over half of the year. Finding bathing suits on sale is always a good choice, especially because the amount of time we spend in them is limited. Look for sales and deals on these, bathing suits can be really costly.